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UPDATED: Mayor's Summer Youth Camp Schedule
Update: Here's a PDF of the liability and media releases that parents had to sign in order to send their kids to Melton's camp this week.
[Jacktown] Throwbacks and Hot Acts, by Alphonso Mayfield
Another year has passed. While I must admit that 2003 was hotter than a country nightclub on a Delta summer night, 2004 looks to be even more promising—especially for new groups. But let's begin with the announcement of David Banner's latest release, "MTA2: Baptized In Dirty Water." While critical assessment has been mixed, the album debuted at No. 17 on the R&B and hip-hop charts moving around 50 thousands units. The album also showed a slight increase to 16 the following week. Look for the video for the new single "Crank It Up" (which was recorded in ATL) to be impacting shortly.
D.A. Peterson Concedes, Goes Home
With 98 percent of precincts reporting and Robert Smith leading by 1,183 votes, District Attorney Faye Peterson just conceded defeat in the Red Room at Hal & Mal's, saying that she hopes that the next D.A. will be as tough on crime as she was, because "Hinds County has a crime problem."
‘An Old Washington Hand Goes Home to Mississippi'
David E. Rosenbaum writes in the New York Times today about Haley Barbour's return to Mississippi: "Mr. Barbour must overcome the charge that he has spent his career as a fixer. His law firm, Barbour Griffith & Rogers, ranked seventh among Washington firms in terms of lobbying revenues last year, according to a study by The National Journal, and Fortune listed the firm as No. 1 in terms of political influence."
JFP Chick Ball Raises $7,000 for Domestic Abuse Victims
A preliminary count shows that the 3rd annual JFP Chick Ball raised just over $7,000 for the Center for Violence Prevention in Pearl. This amount was raised through direct donations, a $5 cover charge, $5 raffle tickets for 25 door-prize packages donated by local businesses, the sale of t-shirts purchased by the Jackson alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theater sorority and a silent auction of art by dozens of artists and prize packages donated by businesses. Those prizes included diamond earrings donated by Carter Jewelers. The amount raised surpassed the total of the first two Chick Balls, which together raised about $5,000 for the center.
Watch McCain "Whip" Obama's "You-Know-What" Tonight at Hal & Mals
The Jackson Free Press is a co-sponsor of the final debate party tonight in the Red Room at Hal & Mals. (Click here for info.) Join us to watch John McCain deliver on his threat to Barack Obama: "After I whip his you-know-what in this debate, we're going to be going out 24/7," the Republican nominee told volunteers at his campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, sparking laughter and applause from the group."
Temple for Talent, by Eric Stracener
Since the heyday of recording on Farish Street passed, the only local label with any real national name recognition has been Malaco Records, which has continued with a steady output of high-quality R&B and soul from the label and its in-house studio. Recently, though, other studios have started to surface here. One of them, Sonic Temple Recording Studio, has worked with artists from Cassandra Wilson to David Banner, Scott Litt of R.E.M. to Young Agent Jones.
Hot 97.7 No Longer Blazin' Hip-Hop
[verbatim statement] Effective March 17, 2008, HOT 97.7FM has changed its name to 97.7FM WRBJ and no longer promotes itself as "Jackson's Blazin' Hip-Hop and R&B Station." In addition, the station will no longer carry the nationally syndicated Russ Parr Morning Show. 97.7FM WRBJ will now dedicate more of its programming to R&B music that is more appropriate to the entire expanse of the community. In addition, 97.7FM will air the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show.
Archive: Investigations Involving R.J. Washington and Frank Melton
Following are links to Donna Ladd's 2008 investigative series on the murder of R.J. Washington, as well as stories about the "mysteries of Frank Melton." A list of PDFs to relevant documents is at the bottom. Both will be updated as new pieces are added. They are listed chronologically without regard to relevance to each other:
Farish Street Blues: Rebuilding A ‘Music Town," by Scott Barretta
I wouldn't have a gal on Farish Street, I wouldn't speak to one that lived on Mill
— Doodleville Blues, by John Henry "Bubba" Brown & Cary Lee Simmons
First Stop, Pakistan, by Katherine R. Dougan
The Derek Trucks Band brings its multicultural sounds and "joyful noise" to Hal & Mal's Halloween night.